January 2026 Transfer Window

[tlg1903]

On 07/11/2025 at 10:38, BigAl said:

Article in P&J this morning about Nilsen looking for a move back to Norway.

Might not be the worst outcome for us given his age, contract length, likely wage and playing time.

Aberdeen central midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen could soon be on the move back to Norway.

The 34-year-old reunited with former Elfsborg boss Jimmy Thelin by joining the Dons in summer 2024, abruptly giving up the Brann Bergen captaincy in the process – a decision which did not go down well across the North Sea.

Norway newspaper Bergens-Tidende now reports “several Norwegian clubs have been contacted by people connected to” Nilsen to float a transfer back to Scandinavia.

Sandefjord are said to be one of the club’s contacted, but newspaper BT say they are not interested in signing Nilsen.

Geir Morten Nilsen, the Aberdeen player’s uncle, is known to be his agent, and is well-connected in Norwegian football.

The Press and Journal understands Aberdeen are unaware of any such machinations involving Nilsen and his Dons future.

Aberdeen’s Nilsen currently out injured

Brought to Aberdeen on a three-year deal, which runs out in 2027, Nilsen has been viewed as Thelin’s on-field liuetenant, having captained the Swede’s Elfsborg side in the Allsvenskan during their first spell working together from 2019 to 2021.

The middle-man missed the latter part of his first season in Scotland – including the Scottish Cup final win in May – after suffering a freak eye injury in training, with initial fears Nilsen had a detached retina and his career might be in jeopardy.

 

 

But he was able to avoid surgey and returned to Aberdeen for pre-season.

Nilsen was back starting regularly for the Dons at the start of this campaign, though he came in for criticism from fans for his performances during their miserable season opening.

The veteran has been absent from the squad for last five matches – including Thursday’s vital 0-0 Conference League draw at AEK Larnaca – with a hamstring injury.

Nilsen’s last match in red was for the club’s B side, as he played 90 minutes as an over-age player in a 2-2 Evolution Trophy draw with Elgin City on October 11.

On Wednesday, at his pre-match press conference, Aberdeen gaffer Thelin said Nilsen would also miss Sunday’s Premiership clash with Motherwell, as he is only expected to return to action after the upcoming international break. 

He did great when he first came in but defo went off the ball.  I would love to see the club try and get the lad Watson from Killie in to replace him if he does go.  He's OOC come the end of the season so could probably get him for a reasonable fee. 

[OrlandoDon]

2 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

He did great when he first came in but defo went off the ball.  I would love to see the club try and get the lad Watson from Killie in to replace him if he does go.  He's OOC come the end of the season so could probably get him for a reasonable fee. 

It’s definitely the yank in me, but what’s the chance of offering cash and a player as an incentive? We have a pretty large squad that the likes of yengi, Ambrose, Ryan Duncan, possibly Findlay Marshall is he’s not got a future with us, polvara, even sokler? I know some of these guys are also out of contract next summer, that a January move may be an option??

[TheDonbytheDee]

2 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

He did great when he first came in but defo went off the ball.  I would love to see the club try and get the lad Watson from Killie in to replace him if he does go.  He's OOC come the end of the season so could probably get him for a reasonable fee. 

I think Nilsen is contracted until 2027.

Don't rate him as a player and as bad a signing as we have ever made in my opinion. By that, I mean his age and the length of deal as much as his overall shyteness on the pitch.

[OrlandoDon]

1 minute ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

I think Nilsen is contracted until 2027.

Don't rate him as a player and as bad a signing as we have ever made in my opinion. By that, I mean his age and the length of deal as much as his overall shyteness on the pitch.

Agree, pretty sure many of us questioned a three year deal at that age, now seeing his lack of mobility, he won’t see much playing time. I speculated there was a coaching role in his future when I heard the contract offered, but I’d punt him at any opportunity to get him off the books.

[OrlandoDon]

Who is the next Watson Cameron mccowan or mulligan? Would really like, and I know it’s hard, to get the best of the rest of Scottish talent.

[TheDonbytheDee]

Andy Tod from Dunfermline.

I'd like us to be at least looking at this loon.

I think he has something about him, but do we even scout Scottish players anymore?

 

[swaddon]

20 minutes ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

Andy Tod from Dunfermline.

I'd like us to be at least looking at this loon.

I think he has something about him, but do we even scout Scottish players anymore?

 

He's 54 years old and hasn't played since 2011. We should be looking at younger players.

[tom_widdows]

40 minutes ago, swaddon said:

He's 54 years old and hasn't played since 2011. We should be looking at younger players.

Never stopped Toni Kombuare

[manc_don]

8 hours ago, swaddon said:

He's 54 years old and hasn't played since 2011. We should be looking at younger players.

Thought I was in the twilight zone for a moment there 

[RicoS321]

9 hours ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

Andy Tod from Dunfermline.

I'd like us to be at least looking at this loon.

I think he has something about him, but do we even scout Scottish players anymore?

 

He wears funny glasses 

[Panda]

With Tobers confirmed to be out for the rest of the season, be interesting to see if we look to bring in another defender in January.

I guess with Devlin and Dorrington we're okay for cover for now, but we saw last season Devlin have a big drop off in form when overplayed, and although Tottenham will be happy with Dorrington getting minutes they won't want a young player overplayed and picking up injuries either.

[RicoS321]

32 minutes ago, Panda said:

With Tobers confirmed to be out for the rest of the season, be interesting to see if we look to bring in another defender in January.

I guess with Devlin and Dorrington we're okay for cover for now, but we saw last season Devlin have a big drop off in form when overplayed, and although Tottenham will be happy with Dorrington getting minutes they won't want a young player overplayed and picking up injuries either.

I think Devlin being overplayed isn't a significant issue at right centre back. If he was tanking up and down from fullback, more so. It'd be good for them both just to share our the minutes between now and the end of the season. I suspect JT will want to revert to a four at some point too.

[Radiored]

During international breaks, since only a handful of our squad are involved, why don't we organise a friendly game? Behind closed doors if necessary ... Surely there's no better training than a 90 minute game against opposition of roughly equal prowess .... an opportunity to give 'fringe players' some game time .... with no big deal whether we win/lose/draw, just to assess how they perform in a suitably competitive situation.

With the January window fast approaching, surely it would be valuable to assess the wider squad rather than offload potentially valuable players simply because they have been untried/untested/poorly utilised.... all to bring in others who will suffer the same fate.

Edited 11 hours ago by Radiored

[RicoS321]

8 hours ago, Radiored said:

During international breaks, since only a handful of our squad are involved, why don't we organise a friendly game? Behind closed doors if necessary ... Surely there's no better training than a 90 minute game against opposition of roughly equal prowess .... an opportunity to give 'fringe players' some game time .... with no big deal whether we win/lose/draw, just to assess how they perform in a suitably competitive situation.

With the January window fast approaching, surely it would be valuable to assess the wider squad rather than offload potentially valuable players simply because they have been untried/untested/poorly utilised.... all to bring in others who will suffer the same fate.

Who do you think we've not assessed adequately? The Icelandic laddy and Bilalovic are the only two I can think of, and I'm prepared to accept that they might not be ready for the first team. The rest have all had plenty of minutes. A bounce game might be a good idea to test a new formation perhaps, but the biggest problem is that St Johnstone - our designated friendly team - are in the championship and probably don't have the week off. I guess there are other teams, but it would seem a little unfaithful to the saints, who might feel left out.

 

[RicoS321]

Another window, though, where I think that the first priority has to be shipping players. I'd like to see us go full clear out, and get rid of Clarkson*, Polvara, Palaversa, Nilsen, Ambrose and Yengi. We won't have Europe, and that clear out will set us up nicely for the summer. 

*I think Clarkson is our best player, but I hate seeing him on the bench. Just get rid of he's not happy, or the manager is unhappy with him.